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Archived photos lay on a table at Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault showing the homes and barns in the village of Moulinette before they were destroyed to create the St. Lawrence Seaway.
ERIKA GLASBERG/STANDARD-FREEHOLDER file photo

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MORRISBURG — History buffs unite with a new website, researched, photographed and told by two local men.

Morrisburg area residents John Gleed and his friend Ron Beaupre have joined their love for the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway, photography and knowledge of web design to create a new website on the history of the flooding of the Seaway from Morrisburg to Cornwall and the lives of the people who lived in or around those areas.

“I’ve been involved with the stlawrencepiks(.com) site for a couple years now which I started off really to show off some of my photography that has been a hobby for some time,” Gleed said.

“Through talking with people from Morrisburg, I got (interested) in the history of the Seaway and the flooding and that sort of thing (the website became more).”

When browsing through the site, visitors can immerse themselves in over 200 photos from the past and present, including a variety of before-and-after images and even a video of scuba divers in the flooded Morrisburg area.

“I think that quite a few people who’ve got interests in that history (of the flooding) and what I’ve discovered since moving down here is that there are quite a few people collecting pictures and information,” Gleed said.

“Often it’s older residents who tend to sit in their basements, but there is fascinating stuff available to a wider audience and to a younger audience, too, which is giving exposure to a broader spectrum audience and is quite important for the area (because) it’s important to know the background of how things got to where they are.”

Beaupre, who is heading the St. Lawrence Seaway part of the website has always been interested in the Seaway and the boats that traveled it, as well as the War of 1812 because of a family member who fought in it.

“I started buying books (about boats) when I was in my teens and in the 1980s (when he was) married with children. I got back into the hobby after college and (I was) established at work. I started taking my hobby a little more seriously and began helping people prepare articles about Great Lake ships and then started writing my own articles,” Beaupre said.

“We’re going to expand on (the website) and there’s going to be sections added to the St. Lawrence history with a special page about the day that it was flooded.”

Both Gleed and Beaupre are excited for the launch of the website but are even more excited to hear stories and see photos from the community.

“I think the main thing to emphasize is that both Ron and I are very interested in getting feedback and additional pictures as well as getting everyone’s input.”